The first time you find out that someone else has YOUR name you are devastated. For most of us this happens at quite a young age. . . for me I was around 8 or even 10 before I discovered that anyone had the same name as me. To be honest I am not sure that I have ever got over it. I have remained very protective of my name; it is my brand after all. So I track how it shows up on the internet through Google Alerts. (Be sure to watch the video at the bottom of the post.)
Roberta Hill Whiteman, a Native American writer always seems to “beat me” on the Google searches, coming up number often 6 out of the top 10 on google. There is also another “Canadian” Roberta Hill who is a real estate agent in British Columbia. She owns the .ca domain that I didn’t purchase because I thought nobody would want it. Recently, we have all been competing on the google searches with an elderly Roberta Hill who has gained some notoriety for her appearance in a small documentary, Cinemaniacs, about five people in New York who are simply obsessed with movies. She has supposedly seen 1000 movies a year for over 20 years, although she’s been banned from some theaters. Here is the trailer:
There is “another Roberta Hill” located Maine that I have come across before but I wanted to write about how my name has been used lately as a “pen name”.
I have been annoyed for sometime now because a “bogus” Roberta Hill has shown up on EzineArticles listed as follows: “Roberta Hill is an expert on the subject of constipation remedies, and offers tips and advice on the subject on her site constipation cures.”
Who wants to be associated with constipation? Don’t laugh too hard! Maybe I am being silly but my name is my brand even if a couple of other people legitimately have it too. Right now I feel that someone is trying to claim to be me. Another colleague mentioned that is why she always uses her middle initial – which by the way I did for years until I began using www.RobertaHill.com
While there are obviously good reasons on using pen names in some instances, it seems that there are very few restrictions. The person writing for EzineArticles appears to come from India and listed as an expert on the subject of constipation remedies, Tooth Crowns and Dental Cleaning and care. I have requested that it be stated on their site that this person is using a pseudonym but I have not heard back. I would very much appreciate your comments on whether or not you think that I am being overly sensitive.
Finally, in case the title of this post rings a faint bell, the line is from “To Tell The Truth” a popular television show that ran from 1956 to 1968. Each contestant claimed to be the same person and panelists had to guess which one was telling the truth. The phony claimants could lie but the actual person had “to tell the truth” when questioned. At the conclusion of the show, the host would say, “would the real ________ please stand up.”
I know that I really shouldn’t take myself so seriously, so please enjoy this video . . .
Side note: In the sixties there was a show called “What’s My Line?” First episode was in 1950 and it ran until 1967. (You must check out some of the You Tube videos.)
Welcome to my Social Network Landing Page and Occasional Personal Blog
Who am I?
See the About Me Tab above for a full bio or click on one of my social networks to the right.
How do I use Social Networks?
This is all explained in my Social Policy but I have decided that my main focus is not for marketing or even building my brand. I like social networks because as an introvert (talkative gregarious on MBTI) I like the ability to connect with others but not in person. I like them because I can learn from others and when I stumble across something interesting, I can immediately “Twurl” or “Hootlet” it out to the Twitter universe. (Actually, not the universe as I am not always on the public timeline but that is another story.) It is in the moment – I don’t plan my tweets and schedule them for distribution with “TweetLater” which has become “SocialOomph”. (Sometimes I come across a series of quotes I like and rather than bombard everyone at one time, I schedule them over a few days. I do schedule blog post sometimes as well.) I don’t retweet everything a couple of hours later – you either got it or you didn’t. Sometimes I do track them so I can see what my contacts find interesting. So on the weekend, I may retweet one item that people found particularly interesting.
How my Social Networking is evolving?
I have never been one for “chat”. I don’t have an IM account and while I may send a quick chat to someone on Skype to se if they are available, I don’t like using it for any conversations. However, I have found that a private DM once in awhile with someone I know on Twitter has proved to be a wonderful quick chat and a great way to touch bases.
It is fair to say that I am obsessed with my iPhone and all the applications. I have at least 8 specifically for social networks and I do like to tweet or do a Facebook update sometimes when I am “on the road”. It is particularly fun to send a photo or link of where I am.
When is the Social Network too limiting?
Occasionally, I have a short exchange with someone and it becomes clear that we need to go “off line” and then a serous of longer emails and in a blue moon a Skype call will occur. From here our connection goes deeper. Social networks are merely the possibilities of something deeper and more meaningful. They only scratch the surface of wht is real. I have met a couple of people for coffee in the flesh after having corresponded through Twitter or LinkedIn.
There are times when I would love to expound on some article or post that I have read. Knowing that it is unlikely that I will “get back to it”, I find that putting up a quick tweet or a short update on Facebook and this becomes an acceptable compromise. If I can see a logical – even if it is tenuous – connection to my “professional” blogs and I find the time, I will elaborate and post it.
Once in a while I come across something that has much more of a personal story and element to it. If it is not of a private nature and I want to “record” it somewhere – I have been at a loss. It is with this in mind that I will write my own journey of discovery and post them here. They are more for my own edification and so the path to find them may not be obvious.
Why is my Twitter Account sometimes locked?
This is a long and involved story but simply, I found myself loosing “control” over my Twitter account. I kept getting more and more followers and unless it was an obvious spam, I felt an obligation to follow back. I was being reminded regularly (read pestered) to follow someone that I didn’t want to follow. It wasn’t until I took the time to really review how I wanted to use my social networks that I decided to go private for a while. It is a big conundrum for me . . . how many are too many to follow and should I have a limit on how many follow me? See more by clicking my Social Policy Tab above.
What made me choose this WordPress theme?
I searched through many themes and actually downloaded a number that looked very professional or had a “Twitter” feel. The truth is that when I saw this design, Desk Mess, I knew in order for me to be authentic, I would have to select it. The title says it all. It is SO me: right down to my love affair with my iPhone, our car keys, pen, money and that picture of Paris. (I took one just like it.) OK, I am not sure about the unicorn and star necklace but you would be surprised with all the knick knacks and papers on my desk. And maybe it is usually a cup of coffee and not tea, but the spill is real.
Disclaimer: Just because I may have an account with a social networking service like the ones listed to the right does NOT mean that I use or support or recommend them.I do use the services listed in the sections – “My Key Social Networks”.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=b92a3383-0e4f-4e84-9c54-df3ce15ae9a0)
